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Luka Doncic Orchestrates Slovenia's Offense in a Clinical Victory Over Venezuela

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic scored a game-high 37 points. His impressive all-around effort included seven rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Published

1 year ago

August 27, 2023

Ed Odeven

Slovenia's Luka Doncic looks to drive past Venezuela's Gregory Vargas in a 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup match on August 26 at Okinawa Arena. (Issei Kato/REUTERS)

Read the full story on SportsLook - Luka Doncic Orchestrates Slovenia's Offense in a Clinical Victory Over Venezuela

OKINAWA CITY ― Luka Doncic was the final player's name to be called out during the pregame introductions.

And during the Slovenia-Venezuela game on Saturday night, August 26, Doncic's name was blurted out the most times by the public-address announcer. Doncic was the hub of Slovenia's offense in a 100-85 win in a FIBA Basketball World Cup Group F match at Okinawa Arena.

The Dallas Mavericks superstar scored a game-high 37 points on 11-for-18 shooting and sank 13 of 16 free-throw attempts. His stellar all-around performance included seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. It was the type of performance basketball fans have come to expect from Doncic whenever and wherever he plays a game.

A four-time All-Star in his five NBA seasons, Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists in 2022-23 for the Mavericks.

Midway through the first quarter, it was evident that Doncic was in a comfortable rhythm on offense ― eager to be the primary scorer and focused on distributing the ball to his teammates.

Doncic's step-back 3-pointer gave Slovenia a 21-14 lead with 5:11 left in the opening stanza. He completed the play with a smooth delivery that underscored years of excellence on the court and steady growth as a player.

Doncic had 14 first-quarter points, but it wasn't enough to give Slovenia a big edge. Venezuela's David Cubillan sank a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the period to give his team a 33-31 lead entering the second quarter.

*Luka Doncic scores a basket against Venezuela. (Issei Kato/REUTERS)*

Stepping Up in the Second Quarter

With Doncic igniting the offense, Slovenia elevated its play in the second quarter.

By halftime, Doncic had 24 points to help lead Slovenia to a 56-51 advantage. As avid and casual basketball observers have witnessed for years, Doncic delivered another performance that made the complex game look nearly as easy as walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.